Bandana employs one of Julio's old tricks to lighten the load and get over the ridge. Elan misses a social cue.
Cast[]
Transcript[]
- Panel 1, Page 1
Bandana: OK, great. Now get that giant corpse off the deck. And dump the boulder, too.
- Panel 2, Page 1
Roy: Yes, ma'am.
- Panel 3, Page 1
Roy: Rnnh!
- Panel 4, Page 1
Roy drops the giant's corpse off the ship.
- Panel 5, Page 1
Roy lifts the boulder off the ship while Elan struggles to move the giant axe.
- Panel 6, Page 1
The damaged Mechane flies through the mountains, while the corpse, boulder, and axe fall below it.
- Panel 1, Page 2
Bandana: I don't suppose that's enough ballast dropped to clear the ridge, right?
Mateo: I don't think so, Captain.
Bandana: Yeah, woulda been too easy.
- Panel 2, Page 2
Bandana: Carol, do you remember the "Innocent Traveler" plan from the old days?
Carol: Oh wow, yeah. I still remember.
Bandana: Good. Take Ozzie and grab five more, and wait for me to give the word.
- Panel 3, Page 2
Ozzie: Huh? What is she talking about?
Carol: I'll explain on the way. Come on!
- Panel 4, Page 2
Bandana: Andi, get ready to boost.
Andi: I don't understand, what's the—
Bandana: Yeah, 'cause weapons ain't your department.
- Panel 5, Page 2
Carol: Everyone's in place, captain!
- Panel 6, Page 2
Bandana: Punch it.
Andi: Uh, yes, Captain.
- Panel 7, Page 2
A view of the port side lift propeller speeding up, "wwhRRRRRRRrrrr".
- Panel 8, Page 2
Bandana: Weapon's weren't my gig either, but my folks told me all sorts of stuff about back in the day.
Bandana: Like when Julio installed the ballistas during the war, they were worried about getting caught privateering behind enemy lines.
Bandana: They wanted a way to pretend to be just another civilian ship in a pinch—
- Panel 9, Page 2
Andi: Engines at 123% output! It's working!
Kwesi: But it's not enough! Look!
- Panel 10, Page 2
The Mechane approaches the ridge, pitched bow down, with not enough altitude to clear the ridge, "WHUPPA! WHUPPA! WHUPPA!"
- Panel 11, Page 2
Bandana: —so they had a quick-release lever built into each turret.
Andi: What?!? But—
- Panel 12, Page 2
Bandana: DROP 'EM!
- Panel 1, Page 3
Carol: CAPTAIN SAYS DROP 'EM!
- Panel 2, Page 3
A crewwoman pulls a release lever, "KTCHYRNK!"
- Panel 3, Page 3
The ballista releases from the hull of the ship, "PLATK!"
- Panel 4, Page 3
The other ballistae fall from the ship, "PLATK! PLATK! PLATK! PLATK! PLATK!"
- Panel 5, Page 3
The Mechane rises as it approaches the ridge, "WHUPPA! WHUPPA! WHUPPA! WHUPPA!"
- Panel 6, Page 3
The airship clears the ridge, "WHUPPA! WHUPPA! WHUPPA! WHUPPA!"
- Panel 7, Page 3
Mateo: We did it! We're over!
Bandana: Andi, shut down the boost. We may still need it to get out of here.
Andi: Uh... Yes, Captain.
- Panel 8, Page 3
Roy: Hey, so what happened back there with the bumping and scraping and such? And did we make u-turn at one point?
Bandana: Nothing you need to worry about, Greenhilt.
- Panel 9, Page 3
Bandana: The crew just got a little lost for a bit.
Bandana: I think they found the right path, now.
- Panel 10, Page 3
Elan: Did something bad happen? 'Cause the way you said that sorta makes it sound like something bad happ—
Roy: OK, great! Glad it's handled, let's just keep moving, zoom zoom, say no more.
D&D Context[]
- In the second panel, Elan appears to cast Cure Critical Wounds on Roy for the second time. Cure Critical Wounds is a 4th level spell for bards. Typically, in Order of the Stick, the spell's name is called out aloud by the character in order to cast it, though there are several exceptions to this rule.
Trivia[]
- This is the first time Ozzie is referred to by name, heretofore referred to as "Mechane crewman with mustache".
- This is the final appearance of the frost giant warrior with axe and hair who first appeared in #1059. He died in #1067.
- This is the only appearance of the crewwoman who operates the ballista. She also appears in a bonus frame added to #1051 in the print and digital versions of Utterly Dwarfed.
- Roy's final comment, "zoom zoom, say no more" appears to reference the Monty Python "Nudge, Nudge" sketch.
- It also functions as a second meaning to the title.